Excelsior Sports Correspondent
LEH, Apr 17: Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora today inspected the progress work on the world’s highest Golf Course which is being developed on 1520 Kanals of land at the shore of Indus at Shey. This Golf Course which is of International standard having 18 holes would be completed by the October 2013 at a cost of Rs 12 crore.
The engineers apprised the Minister about the salient feature of this Golf Course saying that it will be ready for practice by end of this working season.
Jora also inspected the Sindhu Sanskriti Kendra at Ti-suru Leh today where finishing works and final touching of the auditorium and other infrastructure are going on with full swing.
It is to mention that the major events of upcoming Ladakh International Film Festival would be held in this complex in June this year. Mainly in the 400 capacity auditorium of this complex, the international films will be screened in the competition section. Jora urged the engineers speed up the execution works so that the auditorium will be ready in time.
Jora also inspected the progress work at Himalayan Cultural Centre at Gonpa area of Leh which is coming up at a cost of Rs 30 crore under Tourism sector.
Jora said that the model of this Cultural Centre is already completed as such the need of the hour is to focus on early completion of this Centre.
He also inspected the construction work of Ladakh Convention Centre and the Food Craft Institute at Takski-thang Leh and urged the engineers for early completion of these important infrastructures.
Deputy Commissioner Tsering Angchok who was accompanying the Minister apprised in detail about the progress of works at these sites. The Engineers and District Officers also accompanied the Minister during his inspection.
Jora inspects progress on work world’s highest Golf Course
Audition for ‘Ring ka King’ on Apr 18
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 17: Audition team of the famous wrestling television show of Colours “Ring Ka King” under the aegis of Indian Professional Wrestling (IPW) today reached Jammu to take auditions among the Jammuties which will be held on April 18 at Jammu Polytechnic, Bikram Chowk.
Various famous faces associated with the show including World Champion of “Ring ka King” Mahabali Veera alias Aman Randwa, Jwala alias Tyagi and Shera alias Harjeet Singh also reached Jammu today for the said audition.
While addressing a press conference, Founder of IPW Tiger Rapta said that the team from the Mumbai has reached Jammu to conduct the audition among the peoples of Jammu so that they can also prove themselves on an international platform.
He further said that last time they had conducted the same audition in Jammu in which none of the participant was selected but this time he has full hope that maximum number of candidates would get selected for the show as the people of Jammu region have keen interest in the wrestling.
He also said that last year audition was conducted in Delhi and Punjab also in which Mahabali Veera, Jwala, Shera and Pagal Parinda were selected who proved themselves as international wrestlers.
He disclosed that this is a golden opportunity for the people of Jammu region as after getting selected in the show they could perform in international wrestling events outside the country.
Governor inaugurates Jammu Premiere League Tawi Cup Cricket Tournament
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 17: Jammu Premiere League Tawi Cup Cricket Tournament organised by Army under Operation Sadbhavana in collaboration with Department of Youth Services and Sports commenced today at Zorawar Singh Stadium, Reasi this afternoon.
The tournament was inaugurated by Governor NN Vohra in presence of RS Chib, Minister for Youth Services and Sports; Mubarak Gul, Advisor to Chief Minister; Baldev Raj Sharma, MLA Reasi, Lieutenant General AS Nandal, Corps Commander, 16 Corps, Navin Kumar Choudhary, Principal Secretary to the Governor and Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Jagjit Kumar, DIG, Udhampur-Reasi, Dr Mandeep K Bhandari, Additional CEO, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Sheetal Nanda, Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, Atul Goel, SSP Reasi, JP Singh, Director, Youth Services and Sports, Kiran Watal, Secretary, J&K State Sports Council, senior Civil, Police, Army officers and sports lovers.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor congratulated the Army and the Youth Services and Sports Department for organizing Jammu Premiere League Tawi Cup at Reasi.
He said that the organization of such events, particularly in the districts, provide an exciting opportunity to the youth to test their talents for sports. He wished the participating teams good cricket matches in the next 8 days.
Governor unveiled the Trophy, performed the toss and released pigeons to mark the inauguration of the Tournament.
RS Chib, Minister for Youth Services and Sports, dwelt on the various initiatives being taken by the Department for the promotion of sports activities in the State. In this context, he gave details of the cricket tournaments organised in the Kashmir Valley and at other places in the State last year and those sports activities planned for this year.
Lieutenant General Nandal, in his welcome address, gave details of the various initiatives being taken by the Army under Operation Sadbhavana. He added that to boost sports activities, particularly in the remote areas, Army has been creating sports infrastructure and organizing the various sports activities. He also gave details of the Jammu Premiere League Tawi Cup.
The inaugural match of the Tournament was played between Reasi Royals and Jammu Riders.
Four Battalions enter next round of Volleyball
CRPF competition
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Apr 17: 38, 137, 187 and 74 Battalions of CRPF thrashed their respective opponents in the Volleyball matches and sailed into the next round of the ongoing Zonal Inter OPS Groups Centers and Battalion Games Competition being organised by 137 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at District Police Lines.
In Volleyball category played in the morning session, 38 Battalion trounced 126 Battalion by 2 sets in the first match, whereas in the second match, 137 Battalion won the match un-opposed from CRPF Group Center, Bantalab, Jammu.
In the evening session, 187 Battalion CRPF of Battal Ballian, Udhampur defeated 152 Battalion CRPF of Channi Himat Jammu, by two set, whereas 74 Battalion of Kishtwar faced defeat on to the hands of 160 Battalion of Chhani Himmat, Jammu by 2 set.
Meanwhile, in Basketball, the first match of the morning session was claimed by 76 Battalion Chhani Himmat, Jammu who defeated 84 Battalion of Chatha, Jammu by 35-06 points. In the second match, 151 Battalion of Preet Nagar, Jammu defeated the 33 Battalion of Gangyal, Jammu by 17-13 points.
In evening session, 166 Battalion CRPF, Channi Himmat, Jammu defeated the 72 Battalion CRPF of Channi Himmat, Jammu by 10-09 points whereas in the fourth match, 6 Battalion of Katra got defeat from 121 Battalion of Kathua by 4-0 points.
The matches were witnessed by Second in Commandant 187 Battalion, Anil Gupta, Second in Commandant, 137 Battalion DV Thomas, Deputy Commandant, 187 Battalion, RK Tomar, Assistant Commandants 137 Battalion, KP Sudha, Sourav Kataria and Vikrant Kumar.
‘Choona Hai Aasmaan Season-2’ concludes with grand finale
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 17: “`Choona Hai Aasmaan Season-2’’ concluded here tonight with youngsters from different parts of the State being selected in the grand finale from out of a total of 19 performers selected after district, range and zone level performances.
The finale was organized at Police Auditorium, Gulshan Ground.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was scheduled to attend the function as chief guest but he couldn’t make it to occasion as he was busy in New Delhi attending his father, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, who was admitted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jammu.
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand was chief guest of the function while Minister of State for Home and Tourism Nasir Aslam Wani was the guest of honour.
Bollywood personalities Sanjay Suri (actor) and Sakhawat Hussain Khan (Music Director) were special guests.
Nafisa Billal Mir of Shopian (solo singing), Satinder Shanoo of Jammu (solo singing), Antra Dhar of Jammu (solo dance), Nusrat Amin of Anantnag (solo dance), Anjusha Sharma of Reasi (solo singing), Darbari Lal of Samba (Band Works) and Magic Star Institute of Kathua (Group Dance) won in different categories of the programmes.
A total of 19 youths had made it to today’s grand finale of “Choona Hai Aasmaan Season-2” after performing at district, range and zonal level. They had been selected by the experts.
The winners would be helped by Police Department in performing at national level including Bollywood.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand described the talent hunt programme as a major initiative of Jammu and Kashmir Police to boost the morale of youngsters including singers, dancers and other artistes.
“Though job of the police was confined to law and order, they have done a marvelous job by devoting time for talent hunt and organizing programmes at various levels to boost morale of singers, dancers and other artistes’’, Tara Chand said.
He added that last year’s winners also had reached Bollywood and hoped that today’s winners would also shine at national level.
Minister of State for Home and Tourism Nasir Aslam Wani announced a free five days trip for the participants of grand finale. They would also perform at SKICC Srinagar, he said.
Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda said a total of 2500 entries had been received from singing lovers at different levels, which indicated the extent of talent Jammu and Kashmir had and hoped that the winners of Season-2 of Choona Hai Aasmaan and other participants would make their presence felt at national level.
Recalling that talent hunt programme had started in January, he said Season-2 like Season-1 has evoked massive response from the youth all over the State.
Mr Khoda hoped that the winners and participants would perform at national level.
IGP Jammu Dilbagh Singh gave details of the talent hunt right from its beginning to today’s grand finale.
Court denies bail to narcotic smuggler
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 17: Principal Sessions Judge Jammu, Jang Bhadur Singh Jamwal today rejected the bail application of narcotics smuggler.
The narcotics smuggler namely Sunny Singh was arrested by the police on March 17, 2012 along with 3000 intoxicant capsules.
After hearing Advocate Rajeev Kumar for the petitioner whereas PP Shabir Choudhary for the State, Principal Sessions Judge observed, “narcotic peddling has assumed serious dimensions in the State. Reports regarding seizure of drugs from peddlers are coming in one after another. The drug mafia has spread its tentacles in many states and beyond the borders of the State”, adding “some of the peddlers have a history and their record is maintained by anti-narcotic branch of the police”.
“Some of the known peddlers were jailed also but it is amusing that they have been freed and have taken back to drug trafficking. This raises a serious question about the efficacy of anti-drug laws. Either the laws are flawed or that the enforcement cadres are conniving at the entire affair”, Principal Sessions Judge said, adding “drug trafficking is a serious phenomenon and carries dangerous social dimensions. The youth get attracted to drugs and this spoils their lives. It is not enough to launch anti drug drive. More important is educating the society against the effects of drug addiction”.
“Since drugs generate huge monies, it leads to imbalance of social equilibrium and gives rise to vast economic disparity. The Government will need to intensify its anti drug operation mechanism and bust the mafia and its networks. There is the need of inter-state collaboration for controlling the menace”, the Court observed.
With these observations, the Court rejected the bail application of narcotics smuggler.
BSP alleges conspiracy against JMC, seeks probe
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 17: State unit of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has expressed serious concern over the revised figures of the census which indicated that Srinagar Municipal Corporation was eligible for 75 wards instead of present 65, while Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) even did not qualify for 71 existing wards, as appeared in a section of press.
Addressing workers meeting at party headquarters here today, state president of the party Tulsi Dass Langeh alleged that there seemed to be a deep rooted conspiracy behind the scene as the population in Srinagar JMC has been shown increasing while that of JMC limits as decreasing. It has created doubt in the minds of the people of Jammu region, questioning the conduct of census or any such exercise.
Mr Langeh urged the Deputy Chief Minister, in charge Housing and Urban development department for holding an inquiry into the matter so that the conspiracy could be exposed. The BSP leader said that population of Municipal Corporation wards has increased many fold and it has been on the record. The question of decreasing trend does not arise. Even large number of people from Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Kathua,Udhampur and other areas have settled in Jammu in the last several years and the process is continued. This is just cock and bull story projected by the people at the helm of affairs. The figures given are misleading and far from the truth. The government must go for inquiry or get ready to face the wrath of the people from Jammu. It shows the discriminatory and biased attitude of some Valley based groups and elements in the political and administrative circles, he maintained.
Prominent among those present in the meeting included R L Chargotra, R C Bhagat, Rakesh wazir, Charan Dass, Sanjay Kumar and Ravinder Singh.
Govt acting as stumbling block, fails to empower panchayats: Mehbooba
Excelsior Correspondent
Poonch, Apr 18: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti today said that Coalition Government was wasting a historic opportunity to empower the people of the state by creating hurdles in the growth of panchayats as independent community based institutions.
Addressing a public meeting at Surankote today, she expressed her confidence that the government might be able to delay the inevitable empowerment of panchayats but it won’t be allowed to prevent it.
She said the hope and confidence with which people of the state had overwhelmingly voted in last year’s panchayat elections had been shattered by the negative tactics of the Government in empowering these important institutions of self governance. She said both the major coalition partners NC and Cong were responsible for this set back to the empowerment process of the people in the state.
“They are indulging in shadow boxing by raising fingers at each other, while both parties have let down the millions of voters who voted their panches and sarpanches with the hope of shaping their destiny at local level”, she added.
The PDP president said her party was clear from day one about the need for full empowerment of panchayats as was resolved at the panchayat conference organized by it in July last year. The Government on the other hand has only been making hollow announcements without actually giving any powers or development funds to the panchayats. She said the elections to the block and district councils had not been conducted for one full year, neither had any funds been provided to panchayats nor the remuneration released to panches and sarpanches.
Referring to the delay in elections to the urban local bodies Mehbooba said this Government was scared of facing the public and was therefore unwilling to carry forward the process of elections. She said the ruling parties were trying to subvert the entire democratic system on one pretext or the other and the urban local bodies had become the victim of their insecurity at popular level.
She said the price for the corruption and misgovernance was being paid by the common people of the state. She said the money that goes into the pocket of the rulers is actually to be used for our roads, drinking water, schools and medical facilities.
“While the Government failed to perform its duties on these important fronts. It is adding burden on every body by hiking the prices of commodities, power tariff and drinking water fees”, She added. She said the proposed hike in the power tariff which is the third since NC government took over comes with the Chief Minister’s announcement of further cuts in power supply.
She said the neglect of Poonch was evident from the fact that the Parnai hydel project on which work was resumed by previous Government had again been shelved. Similarly, Fazalabad area continues to remain cut off as the work on the bridge started by PDP Government has been abandoned. She said with the opening of Mughal Road scenic places like Bufliaz could be developed as tourist spot of great attraction.
Endorsing the demand for new blocks and nayabats in Surankote, Mehbooba said the NC had once again failed to respond to the special needs of far flung and distant areas. Even though the PDP-Congress Government had opened up the Poonch-Rajouri region to new initiatives of progress and development, the present dispensation has again put a lid on it.
Mineral water bottles banned in Leh
Excelsior Correspondent
Leh, Apr 17: To give a final touch to the Council’s decision to impose ban on importing mineral water bottles in Leh district and to find alternative solutions to meet out the drinking water requirement in coming tourist season, a meeting of the stakeholders was held under the chairmanship of Chief Executive Councilor, LAHDC, Leh Rigzin Spalbar here today.
Reiterating Council’s decision to ban mineral water bottles from current tourist season, the Chief Executive Councilor, said that no individual interest or issues will be taken into consideration in implementing the decision successfully . He said that the dual objective of this decision is to make Ladakh region free from empty mineral water which is becoming one of the main source of polluting substance for fragile ecosystem of Ladakh region. The other purpose of this initiative was to provide employment opportunities to the unemployed youths of Leh by establishing Mineral Water Plants by their own.
Elaborating the Council decisions taken three months took, the CEC, informed the meeting that from the current tourist season the mineral water dealers are allowed to supply 20 Ltrs mineral water bottles. Mr. Spalbar directed Administrator Municipality, Leh Tsering Murup to fix a minimum criteria for the locals who would come up for supply of drinking water to the consumers so that quality of the water could be maintained.
The CEC urged upon the stakeholders to support the NGO like PAGIR in establishing plant for preparation and supply of drinking water to the consumers which would help to boost the economic condition of the NGO which works for upliftment of the physically challenged persons in this region.
The meeting was attended by ADC, Leh / Administrator Municipality, Leh Tsering Murup, J&K Entrepreneurship Development Institute, Leh Dorjey Angchok, President Hotel Association Leh , Joint Secretary, ALTOA, Leh, President PAGIR, Mohd Iqhal and owners of Mineral Water Plants in Leh.
Rs 25,000 fine imposed on Punjab-based company
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 17: Legal Metrology Department officials today slapped a fine of Rs. 25,000 on SSK Engineering, Kapurthala-Punjab following the complaints that the company is supplying electrical goods without adherence to mandatory declarations.
In a statement, a spokesman of the department said that the action was taken following public complaints that electric goods procured from outside the state do not comply with the rules governing the packaged commodities. He said a team of officials raided the premises of a leading distributor of electric goods here.
“During the inspection it was found that the distributor offered some switch sockets of SSK brand without adequate label. The Maximum Retail Price (MRP) printed on the label was altered by a sticker and font size of other mandatory declarations was found illegible. Investigation of records proved that the declarations were tampered by the company,” said the spokesman
He said a notice was served to the company through the distributor as well as e-mail. He said the Managing Director of the company confessed the guilt and assured the department that fresh supplies of electric goods will comply with the law.
“Under Packaged Commodities Rules, the revised price of any pre-packed commodity is to be published through newspapers and not by pasting any sticker on the label to hide the first printed MRP. Due to the tampering done by the company itself a fine of Rs. 25,000 was imposed on the company,” said the spokesman.